District 5: Erika Carlsen
What do you think is the top transportation issue in our city? How would you address it if elected?
I believe our top issue is building out the appropriate infrastructure to support our city’s rapid growth. We need to maintain and expand our existing infrastructure to ensure every neighborhood is connected by safe, reliable, and multi-modal transportation options. I love the new protected bike lanes that have come to our city (especially the 9 Line along Harvey Milk Boulevard!), and how they help support safety and neighborhood connectivity. We need to do more to ensure that our streets are safe for walking, biking, accessing public transit, and traveling by car. I am excited to work alongside residents, community partners, and city staff to prioritize safe, sustainable, and smart projects that support our current needs and anticipate for the future.
In a typical week, how often do you travel by transit, bicycle, or foot, without the use of a car? Would you commit to going car-free for one week per year?
I enjoy traveling on foot throughout the district and particularly at our parks. I start almost every morning with a walk at Liberty Park because I love and admire the green spaces of our district. I love walking throughout our city because it gives me a chance to appreciate our trees (and know where to plant more!), visit our local businesses, and admire the love and dedication neighbors put into caring for their yards (especially during spooky season!). We need to do more to ensure residents can travel safely by foot, bike, scooter, or car. I’m committed to expanding those opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
I’ve been lucky to live in other cities where I lived for years without a car. Those cities were served by robust regional transportation networks. I loved being able to walk to many places, ride my bike, or rely on public transportation.
I try to walk as often as possible in Salt Lake City. However, I have an aging family that lives in Davis and Weber County in areas not served well by public transit. Spending time with aging family members is deeply important to me, and unfortunately, I need to rely on my car to see them. That’s why I’m supportive of safe, multi-modal transportation and will work to ensure that we continue to support efforts to build out regional transportation networks.
How do you feel about parking minimums? Should the city continue to set parking minimums, or should it be the choice of the business owners?
My approach to any issue is to engage first with communities and stakeholders most affected – that’s why I’ve held so many meet and greets with residents and organized listening sessions with small business owners. I’ve heard from small businesses how a lack of adequate parking can affect patrons’ ability to visit their shops and restaurants. I’ve also heard from residents who want safer biking and walking options. I believe we need to take a balanced approach to parking – ensuring that we have enough parking for our car-dependent residents to visit those businesses, while continuing to incentivize making public transportation, walking, and biking more accessible to every Salt Laker. The goal should be balance – responding to our current car-dependent infrastructure today, while building for a future where other modes of transportation are widely accessible, reliable, and safe for residents of all backgrounds and ages to use.
In terms of funding city priorities, what is your philosophy: "we should provide services that inspire residents to use it" or "we should provide services with a demonstrated need?" Why?
Our city priorities should be reflective of budgeted allotments and should start with demonstrated needs. We must prioritize maintaining roads, ensuring safety, and keeping essential services running efficiently before we implement additional items. At the same time, we can and should be both practical and forward-thinking, focusing first on what people rely on every day while also identifying opportunities that prepare us for growth. I’ll bring this dual perspective to the Council to ensure we’re addressing current needs and anticipating future needs, especially as we prepare major events like the Temple reopening and 2034 Olympics.
SLC has a Complete Streets ordinance that aims to make reconstructed streets safe and accessible for all users. How would you rate the ordinance's performance--what's working well and what isn't? What changes would you make to improve its performance?
The Complete Streets ordinance has the right goals, and I think we can improve on our implementation so that we’re benefiting the needs of all Salt Lakers and our local businesses. I’d prioritize continued safety projects like the addition of more flashing crosswalks at busy intersections, more time for pedestrians to cross busy streets in our city, more curbed ramps for strollers and wheelchair users, traffic calming measures along busy corridors like 1300 S near the Ballpark stadium, and protected bike lanes. I’ll work to hear from a diversity of residents across all ages and abilities and local business owners to ensure that street designs prioritize safety AND meet the practical needs of the people who live and work here.
Do you support or oppose a permanent pedestrian promenade on Main Street in downtown?
I appreciate the consideration and study that have gone into this proposal already. I would be open to the concept as I’m supportive of expanding walkability. Close collaboration with various city and state agencies will be crucial in ensuring that any pedestrian promenade downtown is successful. Working with UTA specifically will be important so we don’t undermine any potential transportation benefits of the project. Without adequate barriers separating pedestrians and light rail, rail speeds may need to be reduced, impacting travel times across the Blue and Green lines. It is important that this issue is proactively addressed so we can avoid impacting light rail passengers in other areas of the city that are underserved compared to the downtown core. I’ll work to include relevant agencies, business owners, and residents in future planning conversations to make sure that decisions are not being made in silos. With a high level of collaboration, we can ensure that the promenade is a multi-modal asset that serves the needs of every resident across Salt Lake City.
Community councils continuously field complaints of drivers speeding in neighborhoods. How would you address this in your district?
Our campaign has knocked on thousands of doors in our district. I’ve heard directly from residents that they’re concerned about speeding and unsafe streets. I share those concerns, too. I have been inspired by Sweet Streets’ neighbor-driven campaign of “Twenty is Plenty,” and I share that perspective. We need to slow down speeding cars by implementing practical and proven solutions like visible signage, targeted enforcement, and traffic calming measures with targeted road diets on particularly busy and unsafe streets. I’d involve residents directly in identifying problems specific to neighborhoods and creating solutions that fit their needs to evaluate what works, while also engaging business owners in the process. Safety improvements should be both guided by community input and supported by data.
How does Salt Lake City get more people to walk, bike, take transit and leave their car at home?
Commuters and travelers will opt for the transit options that are safe, reliable, and convenient. That’s why we need to focus on improving existing opportunities to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation. That means improving sidewalks, lighting, and transit connections. We need to promote more safety on and around our public transit stops. We need to maintain our roads, protect bicycle lanes, and expand transit opportunities across the city. I’m committed to focusing on creating a balance of multi-modal choices for residents. The more we make walking, biking, and public transit feel like practical, enjoyable, safe, and reliable options, the more people will naturally adopt them.
With the arts and entertainment district coming, how does the City Council ensure that this redevelopment is not just a stop for suburban Utahns but also serves the city and its citizens?
The arts and entertainment district has enormous potential, but it must serve our Salt Lake City residents first. I’m the daughter of a small business owner, and supporting small businesses is one of my top priorities. I firmly believe that what makes our city a destination is the ability to visit businesses, shops, and experiences you can’t find anywhere else in Utah or in the country. We need to prioritize local vendors, artists, and entrepreneurs to ensure that visitors and residents alike enjoy the unique shops and experiences that make our city special. I’ll support efforts like The Blocks and work with artists, small business owners, and creatives to ensure that the arts and entertainment district is a unique place for all to visit and enjoy. I’ll advocate for community benefit agreements like affordable housing commitments, neighborhood improvements, and partnerships so that the development prompts economic growth for our City while still providing resources and services to residents.
In light of SB 195, which took away much of the autonomy the city had with its streets, how does the city government work with the state going forward? How does the city continue to make progress on its goals?
I’m committed to fighting for local control, but I also recognize that we must collaborate with the state. The best way to fight for that local control is to show how Salt Lake City is responding to the needs and requests of the residents who live here. That’s the job of the Salt Lake City Council – listening to resident voices, ensuring robust community engagement on changes to our city’s streets, and amplifying those resident voices on the future of our city. I’ll build relationships with transportation officials to ensure our priorities are at the forefront in decision-making. My professional background includes training as a facilitator of difficult conversations. I’ll put my facilitation training to work by standing by our local needs, finding areas for compromise, and leveraging partnerships that bring resources to our city.
